The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of petunia plant originated from the crossing a seedling called ‘Baccarat Red’ (♀) (unpatented) and a Petunia hybrid variety Petunia hybrida Vlim. called ‘PF038-1’ (♂) unpatented.
The Petunia is a very popular plant that is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few Petunia varieties which do not have an upright growth habit and which have a high resistance to rain, heat, and diseases. The Petunia plant that we previously filed, i.e. the ‘Revolution’ series {‘Revolution Purple pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,915), ‘Revolution Brilliant pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,914), ‘Revolution Brilliant pink-mini’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,899), and ‘Revolution Blue vein’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,322)} are decumbent type plants having long stems, a lower plant height, abundant branching, and a high resistance to heat, rain and disease. However, there are only a few Petunia varieties having a great profusion of flowers, vivid colored flower petals and a high resistance to rain, heat, cold and diseases. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having vivid red colored petals, many branching and slightly small plant size together with the above features.
The new variety of petunia plant according to this invention originated from crossing a seedling called ‘Baccarat Red’ (♀) and a Petunia hybrid variety called ‘PF038-1’ (♂). The seed of ‘Baccarat Red’ was bought from Sakata Seed Corp. ‘PF038-1’ is our Petunia breeding line and grown at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga, Japan.
In April 2000, crossing ‘Baccarat Red’ as female parent and ‘PF038-1’ as pollen parent was conducted at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga, Japan. In September 2000, 120 seedlings were obtained from that crossing. These seedlings were grown in pots in glasshouses and tested. One new variety was selected in view of their decumbent growth habit and their flower color. That seedling was propagated by cutting from November 2000, and carried out a trial by flower potting and bedding from April 2001, at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga, Japan. The botanical characteristics of that plant were then examined, using similar varieties ‘Fantasy Crystal Red’ and ‘Suncomi’ for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this petunia plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, and uniform and stable in its characteristics. Then the new variety of petunia plant was named ‘Sunpatire’.
In the following description, the color-cording is in accordance with the Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plants (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
The female parent used in the crossing of ‘Sunpatire’ called ‘Baccarat Red’ having medium habit while that of the new variety is spreading. The branching is fewer than the new variety. It has medium single flowers and petals having deep reddish orange (near R.H.S. 46A). The bottom color of the corolla throat is dark reddish brown (near R.H.S. 53A) and outside color of the corolla tube is pale purplish pink (near R.H.S. 56B).
The main botanical characteristics of the ‘Baccarat Red’ are as follows:    Plant:                                Growth habit.—Slightly erect.            Plant height.—32 cm.            Spreading area of plant.—Slightly small.            Blooming period.—Early April to late September in the southern Kanto area, Japan.                            Stem:                                Length.—10 cm.            Thickness.—Main stem 2.8 mm.            Pubescence.—Slightly dense.            Branching.—Medium.            Length of internode.—1.1 cm.            Color.—Moderate olive green (near R.H.S. 146A, J.H.S. 3508).                            Leaf:                                Whole shape.—Slightly lanceolate. The apex shape is acute, and the base shape is attenuate.            Length.—4.5 cm.            Width.—2.5 cm.            Color.—Upper-side color is moderate olive green (near R.H.S. 146A, J.H.S. 3508). Bottom-side color is moderate yellow green (near R.H.S. 144A, J.H.S. 3513).            Pubescence.—Slightly dense.                            Flower:                                Facing direction.—Slightly upward.            Type.—Single.            Shape of corolla tube.—Thin.            Shape of petal tip.—Obtuse.            Lobation.—Medium.            Undulation of petal margin.—Slightly weak.            Diameter.—7.5 cm.            Color.—Petal; deep reddish orange (near R.H.S. 46A, J.H.S. 0708). Bottom color of the corolla throat; dark reddish brown (near R.H.S. 53A, J.H.S. 0710). Outside color of the corolla tube; pale purplish pink (near R.H.S. 56B, J.H.S. 9702).            Reproductive organs.—1 normal pistil and 5 normal stamens. Color of pistil is moderate yellow green (near R.H.S. 145C, J.H.S.3310). Color of stamen is pale greenish yellow (near R.H.S. 10D, J.H.S.2903).            Peduncle.—1.5 mm in thickness, and 2.1 cm in.                            Physiological and ecological characteristics: Moderate resistance to cold, rain, pests and disease.
The male parent ‘PF038-1’ used in the crossing of ‘Sunpatire’ is one of our own Petunia breeding line. The Petunia plant ‘PF038-1’ has spreading habit with many branching. It has slightly small single flower, the petals having vivid reddish purple (near R.H.S. 74A). The bottom color of the corolla throat is moderate purple (near R.H.S. 83B) and outside color of the corolla tube is strong purple (near R.H.S. 83D).
The main botanical characteristics of the ‘PF038-1’ are as follows:    Plant:                                Growth habit.—Spreading.            Plant height.—10 cm.            Spreading area of plant.—Medium.            Blooming period.—Early April to late October in the southern Kanto area, Japan.                            Stem:                                Length.—10 cm            Thickness.—2.0 mm.            Pubescence.—Slightly dense.            Branching.—Many.            Length of internode.—2.0 cm.            Color.—Light yellow green (near R.H.S. 145C, J.H.S. 3503).                            Leaf:                                Whole shape.—Slightly lanceolate. The apex shape is acute, and the base shape is attenuate.            Length.—5.5 cm.            Width.—3.5 cm.            Color.—Upper-side color is moderate olive green (near R.H.S. 146A, J.H.S. 3508). Bottom-side color is moderate yellow green (near R.H.S. 147B, J.H.S. 3513).            Pubescence.—Normal.                            Flower:                                Facing direction.—Slightly upward.            Type.—Single.            Shape of corolla tube.—Medium.            Shape of petal tip.—Round.            Lobation.—Medium.            Undulation of petal margin.—Slightly weak.            Diameter.—5.5 cm.            Color.—Petal; vivid reddish purple (near R.H.S. 74A, J.H.S. 9207). Bottom color of the corolla throat; moderate purple (near R.H.S. 83B, J.H.S. 8613). Outside color of the corolla tube; strong purple (near R.H.S. 83D, J.H.S. 8612).            Reproductive organs.—1 normal pistil and 5 normal stamens. Color of pistil is strong yellow green (near R.H.S. 144B, J.H.S.3512). Color of stamen is yellowish white (near R.H.S. 155D, J.H.S.2501).            Peduncle.—1.0 mm in thickness, and 1.7 cm in length.                            Physiological and ecological characteristics: Moderate resistance to pest, Strong resistance to cold, rain, heat and diseases.
The main botanical characteristics of similar variety ‘Fantasy Crystal Red’ used for examination as comparison are as follows:    Plant:                                Growth habit.—Erect.            Plant height.—15.5 cm.            Spreading area of plant.—Small.            Blooming period.—Early April to late September in the southern Kanto area, Japan.                            Stem:                                Length.—9.5 cm.            Thickness.—Main stem 2.8 mm.            Pubescence.—Sparse.            Branching.—Medium.            Length of internode.—2.2 cm.            Color.—Moderate olive green (near R.H.S. 146A, J.H.S. 3508).                            Leaf:                                Whole shape.—Elliptic. The apex shape is acute, and the base shape is attenuate.            Length.—3.2 cm.            Width.—2.2 cm.            Color.—Upper-side color is strong yellow green (near R.H.S.144A, J.H.S.3507). Bottom-side color is moderate yellow green (near R.H.S. 147B, J.H.S. 3513).            Pubescence.—Sparse.                            Flower:                                Facing direction.—Slantly upward.            Type.—Single.            Shape of corolla tube.—Thin.            Shape of petal tip.—Obtuse.            Lobation.—Medium.            Undulation of petal margin.—Weak.            Diameter.—4.5 cm.            Color.—Petal; vivid red (near R.H.S. 52A, J.H.S.0106) with strong red (near R.H.S. 53B, J.H.S.0415) vein. Bottom color of the corolla throat is dark red (near R.H.S. 183A, J.H.S.0410). Outside color of the corolla tube is moderate red (near R.H.S. 182A, J.H.S.0416).            Reproductive organs.—1 normal pistil and 5 normal stamens. Color of pistil is moderate yellow green (near R.H.S. 147D, J.H.S.3511). Color of stamen is light yellow green (near R.H.S. 150D, J.H.S.3303).            Peduncle.—1.0 mm in thickness, and 1.0 cm in length.                            Physiological and ecological characteristics: Moderate resistance to cold, rain, pest and disease.
The main botanical characteristics of similar variety ‘Suncomi’ used for examination as comparison are as follows:    Plant:                                Growth habit.—Decumbent.            Plant height.—17 cm.            Spreading area of plant.—Large.            Blooming period.—Early April to late October in the southern Kanto area, Japan.                            Stem:                                Length.—12 cm.            Thickness.—Main stem 1.8 mm.            Pubescence.—Normal.            Branching.—Many.            Length of internode.—1.5 cm.            Color.—Light yellow green (near R.H.S. 145C, J.H.S. 3503).                            Leaf:                                Whole shape.—Elliptic. The apex shape is acute, and the base shape is attenuate.            Length.—4.5 cm.            Width.—2.5 cm.            Color.—Upper-side color is moderate yellow green (near R.H.S.146A, J.H.S. 3509). Bottom-side color is moderate yellow green (near R.H.S. 147B, J.H.S. 3513).            Pubescence.—Slightly sparse.                            Flower:                                Facing direction.—Slantly upward.            Type.—Single.            Shape of corolla tube.—Slightly thin.            Shape of petal tip.—Round.            Lobation.—Shallow.            Undulation of petal margin.—Weak.            Diameter.—4.5 cm.            Color.—Petal; vivid purplish red (near R.H.S. 57C, J.H.S. 9707). Bottom color of the corolla throat; pale yellowish pink (near R.H.S. 37D, J.H.S.1002). Outside color of the corolla tube; light pink (near R.H.S. 49C, J.H.S. 0402).            Reproductive organs.—1 normal pistil and 5 normal stamens. Color of pistil is vivid yellow green (near R.H.S. 144B, J.H.S.3506). Color of stamen is yellowish white (near R.H.S. 155D, J.H.S.2501).            Peduncle.—1.0 mm in thickness, and 2.0 cm in length.                            Physiological and ecological characteristics: Strong resistance to cold, heat, rain and diseases. Moderate resistance to pests.